In Shock

"Michael's a good man and you're treating him poorly.  I know you have a feeling of entitlement and feel like you deserve sympathy or a free pass just because you're pregnant, but you don't.  I know you think he pined over you when you pulled your little stunt, but he didn't.  He turned to me and now I can see why your relationship fell apart in the first place.  You don't deserve him," Manda spat, and turned on her heel.

I stood there, stunned.  A few things became shockingly clear in those few seconds.  One, Michael had been keeping secrets and two, Manda was one of those secrets.  How could I have been so blind?  Did he not expect me to come home last night and catch him with his new plaything?  Did she even have a fiance, or was the "trouble at home" excuse completely fabricated? Was I being totally, completely insane for letting these thoughts run through my mind? Was it all innocent and was I losing my mind?

I raced down the stairs after her. She was quick and I was trying to be careful; the last thing I needed was to slip on the stairs. I caught up with her as she reached the front door. I grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face me. She was a few inches taller than me and her cheeks were flushed with color. I looked up to meet her gaze and couldn't quite tell what was going through her mind.

"I don't know who you think you are, or what you think you know about me, but you are out of line. I couldn't care less if Michael confided in you, because clearly he wants to be with me and anything he may have said then doesn't matter now. Get off your high horse and get the hell out of my house."

The hard slap was beyond shocking.